It's grotesque, disgusting, grimey, greasy, uncomfortable. The combat feels like you're playing with dried out clay and the music sounds like an assault of a possessed orchestra tripping out of their minds. And yet, somehow it all works in harmony to create one of the most unique and unforgettable experiences in gaming.

Yoko Taro's first game, Drakengard, works almost as a prototype for what's to come later in his career. The weapon collecting and grind for the endings is a bit more grating than it is in the Nier series, but it's just as rewarding and works in a weird way from a lore perspective. In addition, Drakengard also follows the same basic structure as the NieR series, despite the progression of the narrative itself being quite different.

The game also works as a thematic parallel to NieR and NieR: Automata, and the latter almost serves as an antithesis to this game. All the characters in the main cast are disgustingly bad people, maybe aside from Seere. The character writing is a bit lacking compared to Taro's other titles, and I've heard the NA localization of the game censors quite a bit, but the cast and plot is still compelling enough to keep pushing through the game.

Despite its notorious reputation of having infamously terrible gameplay, the atmosphere, soundtrack, plot, and characters all work together hand in hand to create one of the most interesting narratives I've ever come across. I don't know if I'd necessarily put myself through it again, but it's an amazing part of Taro's catalog and definitely something I don't regret playing.

Reviewed on Jun 25, 2022


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